Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-02-18
How I Slew My First Indian.

1t was the 7th of May, 1868, when Com
pany A, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, was all ex-
element over the news of o massacre on
James River, Dakota, of a train of immi-
grants. After what seemed to us the loss
of valuable time, a detail of thirty men was
made, with instructions to bring in as many
heads as possible, as a warning to the red
devils that we had arrived. We had full
permission from the War Department to
wipe, as it were, from the face of the earth
all the bands of Walking Elk, Tall Toad
and Iron Blanket.
1t was our first experience, aud the way
we put that seventy-three miles behind us
would make any old soldier believe that
what we lacked in judgment We made up
in zeal. Our intentions were to cut off any
small parties that would be liable to carry
the news to Mary" as We preferred to VIII
| them in detail.
Our first alarm was caused by that com
mon sight on the prairies, q mirage, which
to our imaginations assumed the semblance
of a party panopliedf for the war path. This
caused us q long, hard ride, and proved,
when we came in sight of the objects caus-
] ing the mirage, to be an inoffensive herd of
antelope. This, however, had a good
effect, for it brought us to a realization of
the fact that our hearts would not choke us
+ they did get up into our mouths, and also
tuas We We're still on horseback, q fact I very
n ~ u.1bt any OF us was aware of while
making the charge.
After some More bo,te ond uvbo+ oro
they,s, and before tho sun had gone to bed
py at least an hour, we arrived near the
scene of the awful tragedy. OF course.
not knowing how strongly the enemy MIGHT
be lntrenched, we held a council of var and
concluded 10 investigate a smoke seen half q
mile or more to our left. 1t took some
time to determine, as we We're on hostile
ground; however, it proved to be a small
stockade occupied by a half breed, his
squaW, and M Hudson Bay Fur Company's
cart, the latter a curiosity, made up Of raw
hide, two short logs for wheels, and a
tongue, all out OF proportion to the balance
OF the craft. This handiwork of the aeni-
zens OF the Red River of the North we
placed in the corner with the tongue nm.
the end resting near the top of the
stockade, thinking perhaps it would make
a perch for a lookout during the night.
We concluded not to spoil a more com
plete victory for the want Of daylight,
hence we camped inside until morning. AT
IL o'clock y. NJ. lhuley Griffith and N.Y.
SELF wee called. being the second relief.
with instructions to shoot any %prowlinp
savages We might see lurking in our vi
cinity.
1t is needless to say I was nervous. We
were stationed outside at extreme opposite
corners, with nothing but our thoughts and
o half moon for company.
After what seemed to be fully three
hours ("corrected time" was thirty five min
utesl. in the dim distance l saw what was
evidently war chief on a tour of inspec-
ton: l could plainly see he was on his
hands and knees, as he would stop and lis
ten. He was surely coming closer. |
don't know yet if lie heard The ring on the
stock OF my tru,ty carbine playing CYAN
kee Doodle" l could, and | was afraid it
would awake the whole camp, it made such
a noise. (After years of exp erience l found
all loose rings had that habit under similar
circumstances
After taking sight q few times by raising
my piece above the liue of the horizon and
letting II down again onto the object. l was
nstonlshed how accurate an aim could be.
Tor when you are on the mark it is let black.
otherwise You can Sec the outline OF YOUR
gun.
1t seemed to ME he never would come mr.
inside of certain rnnse. An idea struck
me. 1t WAS possible other S wages might
have crept upon Charley and taken lis
scalp-even the murderer might he about to
spring upon my back. came mar yelling
at the thought. it was the work Of o mo-